Christchurch Airport to build a new hotel on campus

Record passenger growth at Christchurch Airport will see the
airport company build a new Novotel hotel, 200-rooms and 4.5 stars,
on campus by the main terminal, to open at the end of 2017.

Novotel Christchurch Airport will be designed by Warren and
Mahoney Architects and be a
quality and convenient offering for travellers through the
airport.

Airport Chief Executive Malcolm Johns says the airport will
invest around $80 million in land and improvements for the hotel
development. He says the new hotel will be the second on the
airport campus and is a direct response to airline and passenger
inquiries for increased short-term airport accommodation.

"Many of our new Asian flights arrive in the evening, bringing
visitors who have been flying for 12 hours or more," he says. "They
want to rest before beginning their exploration of the South Island
and expect to be able to do that near the airport.

"Corporate and leisure travellers arrive here on trans-Tasman
flights late at night, some
around midnight, or leave early in the morning. In both cases,
they expect to be able to stay overnight on the airport campus,
within walking distance of the terminal. From the end of next year,
many more will be able to do that."

Senior Vice President Operations for AccorHotels New Zealand,
Fiji and French Polynesia, Chris Sedgwick, says "AccorHotels is
proud to be working with Christchurch Airport to build a new
Novotel hotel on the campus.

"The airport's investment in new services and increasing airline
capacity suggests the time is right for a new hotel in the
precinct, particularly at a time when growing tourist numbers to
New Zealand highlight the need for more accommodation.

"We continue to lead the hotel sector as an airport specialist,
and as the largest operator of hotels in airport precincts in the
Pacific region, we understand the specific needs of transiting
short stay business and leisure travellers."

Mr Johns says airport company (CIAL) staff working with airlines
are regularly questioned about what hotel accommodation is being
developed in Christchurch to fill the gap left following the
quakes.

"Latest estimates from Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism
suggest that Christchurch currently has about 800 hotels room fewer
than what is needed to serve current tourism levels, let alone
future growth. Our airline partners see the lack of new hotel
accommodation as a big risk to them adding in any more services,"
he says.

With new airline capacity adding around 10% (or 800,000) extra
seats per annum at Christchurch, late last year CIAL began a
feasibility study to consider building a 300-room hotel property on
the campus. That study, market research and independent expert
advice has informed the decision to start by building a 200-room
hotel near the terminal.

Mr Johns says more budget accommodation will also soon be
available at the JUCY Snooze backpacker the airport is also
building, and which is well underway at the airport behind the new
Spitfire Square convenience retail precinct. He says that will
offer 280 beds from November this year, an investment of about $10
million in land and improvements.

"FY16 will see the airport handle an all-time record 6.3 million
passengers - that's 800,000 up on the post-quake low point of 5.5
million and 300,000 up on the previous all-time record of 6
million," he says.

"We are expecting next summer to continue to reflect current
growth trends and for
more records to be set. This creates a great opportunity for the
city's tourism industry and for regional economic development
across the South Island."

Novotel Christchurch Airport will be the 9th Novotel branded
hotel in New Zealand, and joins a global network of over 450
Novotels in 61 countries. The hotel will be AccorHotels' 34th
property in New Zealand. Over 180,000 women and men in 3,700
AccorHotels establishments look after thousands of guests every day
in 92 countries. AccorHotels is the world's leading hotel
operator.